Sweetest Moments From the Obama Years In Photos (2009-2017)

As we say goodbye to Barack Obama and his family after eight years in their home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable photos taken by Pete Souza, the official White House photographer…

As a father, President Obama was ‘a natural’ around children of all ages…

Hailing from Chicago, the Obamas were no strangers to snow…

The whole family played in the snow—including Bo, the family’s Portuguese Water Dog, shown here romping in a blizzard on the south grounds.

Snowball in hand, the President chases Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel on the White House colonnade.

The Jokester-in-Chief: “We were walking through a locker room when White House Trip Director Marvin Nicholson stopped to weigh himself on a scale. Unbeknownst to him, the President was stepping on the back of the scale, as Marvin continued to slide the scale lever. Everyone but Marvin was in on the joke.”

This pizza shop owner became a celebrity overnight when the traveling press corp captured images of Scott Van Duzer picking up the president in a bear hug…

And who can forget this moment, when Obama fired a marshmallow cannon in the East Room designed by a young participant in the annual White House Science Fair… Watch the video

One day Sasha crawled into the office, and Souza followed her. She hid behind the sofa, and when she reached the far end, jumped up and yelled, to spook her dad.

Michelle and Barack watch the Fourth of July fireworks from the roof of the White House…

Touching hands on the railing of a boat during a tour following the Gulf oil spill…

Visiting classrooms to promote science (and having a little fun)…

Meeting a staffer’s daughter right down on the floor…

Crooning ’Sweet Home Chicago’ with B.B. King…

He didn’t mind rolling up his sleeves, recalls photographer Souza: “White House valets had moved the sofas in the Oval Office to accommodate the large number of press. When the photo-op ended, the President said to Vermont Gov. Douglas, ‘Let’s move the sofas back in place.’ Gov. Douglas didn’t quite know what to do as the President began lifting.”

Fixing a young man’s tie…

Returning to the Oval Office after going on a hamburger run for West Wing staffers. (White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Michelle made her mark, too, helping kids stay fit, planting and harvesting in her White House vegetable garden, and advocating for veterans…